The Tory MP for Mid-Bedfordshire later learned she had been suspended from the Conservative party after a furore erupted over her appearance.

But Mrs Dorries hit back today at accusations she had abandoned her constituents, insisting that while she was not given permission to appear on the show, she had been granted leave for a month.

In a defiant interview on morning television, she attacked Andrew Mitchell, the former Tory party chief whip who resigned over accusations he called police “f------- plebs”, accusing him of disloyalty for his “clever words”.

“Now the spotlight came onto this, he has chosen – particularly after all the support I gave him during his own particular troubles recently – that he's tried to be clever with words and say that he didn't give me permission for the show.

“No, he didn't give me permission for the show but he did give me the permission to have the month away.”

She also said she had previously not taken a day off during parliamentary time in seven and a half years at Westminster and was already back to work on constituency matters in a temporary office set up in her Australian hotel.